1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a video tape recorder with a novel tape-loading system. More particularly, the invention relates to a compact video tape recorder employing a magnetic tape cassette for recording and reproducing video signals, which minimizes the space required for tape-loading.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the recent years, video tape recorders, particularly home-use video tape recorders, have become exceedingly popular. Due to the success of the home-use video tape recorder, the need has arisen to make the recorder more and more compact. This need is becoming more urgent as the market continues to grow.
In the prior art, video tape recorders employ various tape-loading systems, such as top-loading systems of front-loading systems. These conventional tape-loading systems have the drawback of making video tape recorders bulky. Take for example, video tape recorders employing the top-loading system which has a cassette holder movable vertically between a load position and an ejecting position. At the ejecting position, the cassette holder projects upwards from the upper surface of a recorder housing to allow insertion or removal of a magentic video tape cassette. This requires a certain amount of space above the recorder housing for the cassette holder Conventional top-loading systems require some additional space above the recorder housing to allow for manual actuation of the cassette holder to the load position.
On the other hand, in conventional front-loading systems, an elevator mechanisim moves the cassette holder between the load position and the ejecting position. The elevator mechanism drives the cassette holder vertically toward and away from a front cassette receptacle formed in the recorder housing. Since the cassette holder moves between the load position and the ejecting position within the recorder housing, the recorder housing must have sufficient internal space for the vertical travel of the cassette holder. This keeps the recorder housing bulky and limits possible reduction of the height of the housing.
The present invention is intended to resolve problems encountered in conventional tape-loading systems and thus to reduce the space required for tape-loading.